Method and machine for inserting fasteners



' I 1615276 .A. E. HUDSON METHOD AND MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS Filed'Jun 30', 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 25,1927. 1,615,276

A. E. HUDSON METHOD AND MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS Filed un 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 25, 1927.

u sr'res PATENT FFEQE.

ALBERT E. HUDSON, OE BEVERLY, Mnssaorrcsnrrs, assrcnron TO UNITED sH MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEw J as Y, a oonnonarronon nEw' JERSEY.

METHOD AND MACHINE EOE; manna Inc FASTENERS.

Application filed. June 30,

This invention relates to the setting of fasteners, such for example as eyelets or gromet-s, which are set with cooperating washers, and it pertains more particularly to utilizing' a continuous strip in which the washers are partially formed, severing the washers in completed form as the strip is fed step-by-step, and setting the completely formed and severed washers-in co-operat-ive relation to the eyelets or gromets.

It has been heretofore proposed to feed partially formed washers in the form of a strip, to a fastener setting machine. In the use of such previous machines, however, the severing of the washer from the strip resulted in. a washer disfigured by-irre'gnlarities of contour.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved means for severing the washers from the strip in such manner that the resulting washer may be of any desired form, such as, for example, a true circle. It should be distinctly understood, however, that the invention is in no way limitedto the forming or setting of circular washers on eyelets, since the washers may equally well be severed in any other desired form, such, for example as elliptical, either as regards their hole or their contour; and of course they may be set on fasteners other than eyelets or gromets.

In the machine. herein shown the strip is advanced to position the endmost washer portion between the setting dies, and it is not until then severed from the strip. The severing, moreover, is done by a tool that cuts on opposite sides of, and which may conveniently surround and embrace, one of the fastener setting dies so as to co-operate with the periphery of the latter to cut the washer from the strip, and to trim off from the washer any. waste stock which may have been left by the preceding out.

A feature of the invention consists in a punch-and-die couple to prepare the'washer, and a fastener-setting couple of which one member is fixed and is one member of the punch-and-die couple.

Another feature consists in an organization in which a single connecting rod furnishes the operative motion for the punchand-die couple and also furnishes the motion to feed the strip intermittently to thepunchunderlie couple,

1919'. Serial No. 30.7321.

Still another feature. consists in a detachable unit comprising asupporting bracket, a magazine carried thereby for the strip, to be operated upon, and mechanism carried. by the bracket. for. feeding the strip to the instrumentalities that operate upon; the strip.

111- tlre. utilization of the invention, the two fastener parts, such for example. as; an eyelet and? a washer portion of a; Washerstrip formed: on alternate, washer and Waste portions, are positioned in concentric registration with. each other. ready for assemblinga Theregistered washeriportion is then severed fromrthe: Waste: on other part to which it was attached, providing, according to the illustrated; exemplification, a;- per.- fectly formed washer, and: thereupon thetwo fastener parts areassembled and set, as by clenching the eyelet against the'washer.

These and other features of the invention will be understood and appreciated from'the following description of. a preferred exemplification thereof, in which the-.inven t-ion is disclosed, for purposes, of. illustration, as being embodied in' a machine; of: the general type shown in: United States; Patent No. 1,191,926, granted: July 18, 19.16, on an application of Colby, but. it. is to be; understood that this invention is: not limited in its scope to use in connection with this; type of machine, but on the: contrary, initsv broader aspects, may be employed in connection' with machines and "mechanism of widely varying-kinda Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the general arrangement of a machine constructed in accordance withmy invention i Figs. 2, 3 and 4 1IB=. fragmentary views showing various" positions of the fastenersetting and washer feeding"mechanism: corresponding to different succesive phases in the cycle of operation ofthe machine;

Fig; 5 is a front elevationof the washershearing means;

Fig. 6 isa section on the line 66 of Fig.4

showing the fastener-setting dies and the washer-shearing means Fig. 7 is a section on the line 77 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 8 shows a portion of. a washer-strip as supplied to 'the'machine:

In. thedrawings 10 indicates the main frame of the machine in which. the. lower setting die 11 is carried up and down by plunger 8, and in which the unpeisettilig die or clenching tool 13 is fixed in a'boss l i of theframe 10, although the clenching tool is adjustable up and down and is sustained by a screw-abutment 12 and a retaining screw 9.

The lower die is operated by mechanism that includes a crank 16, connecting rod 15, toggle-couple 20, and lever 21. The fulcrum stud of the latter is indicated at 22, and the front end of the lever embraces a roll 23 carried by the plunger of the lower setting. die. The operating crank 16 is carried, in the present-instance, by an eccentric 18, and the latter is fixed on a shaft 19. Although the drawings show no clutch mechanism for controlling therotatiou of the shaft 19 it is to be understood that any suitable one revolution clutch will be used, since the machine shown is provided with no work feeding mechanism. v

Eyelets are fed to the lower die through the raceway 24 which is reciorocated by any usual or convenient mechanism In the drawings this reciprocating mechanism is indicated in dotted lines and is of the type shown by the above referred to Patent No. 1,191,926, and consists, in general, of a bellcrank lever 25 mounted on fulcrum stud 26 and pivotally connected at its upperend to the raceway. The other arm of this bellcrank lever has an interior cam surface 27 co-operating with a roll on the end of the lever 21 so that as lever 21 is oscillated the bell-crank lever 25 will be rocked back and forth so as to reciprocate the raceway 2a in proper timed relation to the die 11. The upper end of the raceway may be supported in any appropriatemanner to permit the necessary movement thereof, and eyelets may be fed thereto in any desired way.

The periphery of clenchingtool 13 consth tutes the punch of a punch-and-die couple, and is surrounded by a plate 29 having an upstan ding collar portion 30 (Fig. 6) and'having a circular aperture 31 (Fig. '7). The punch has a circular shearing edge 32 which cooperates with this aperture 31 to cut a washer from a washer-stripwhich is fed thereto by mechanism presently to be described. The collar portion 30 is partly cut away as shown in 7 to admit the washer-strip, and tl e remaining portions 33, 34L serve as abutmen to register the leading washer portion relatively to the shearing means. The die of the punch-and-die couple is supported by a pair of rods 35 passing through suitable openings in a guiding plate 36 rigidly held at the top of extension 14 of the main frame, the clenching tool 13 also serving to guide t the die member. ihe latter receives operating motion from the eccentric 18 and its surrounding strap 37 to which is rigidly connected the rod 38 pivoted at 1ts other end to bell-crank lever 39 mounted on a stud 40.

through link 58 to lever 6% supported by a depending portion 41 of the bracket 12. To the other end of bell-crank lever 39 is pivotally connected at 43 acollar 44L having lugs d5 to which the guide rods 35 are attached. a

Also supported by the bracket 42 tl irough a shaft 46 suitably journaled thereon is a magazine 47 illustrated in the form of a reel having a "move 48 therein, in which is car- 'ri-ed a coil consisting of a long washer-strip of the form shown in Fig. 8. From magazine 47 the strip passes through a stationary guide 4&9, mounted as by means of a stud or bolt on the depending arm all of bracket i2, and from this guide the washer-strip passes over and across the hole 31 in the plate 29 so that its leading extremity will enter the opening .28 in collar 30 andthere be supported by plate 29, as indicated in Fig. l. The abutments 83 and 34 then engage the leading washer portion so as to register the hole in the latter relatively to the pilot 17' formed in the center of the tool 13,'and also to register the partially formed rim of the washer portion relatively to'the punch-and die couple.

Means is provided for feeding forward a washer-strip step-by-step, and this will now be described. Attached to the eccentric strap 37 is a stud engaged in a slot 54: of a bellcranlt lever pivoted at 56 to a depending portion 57 of bracket 42. To theother arm this bell-crank lever is attached one end of a curved link 58 adjustably connected at its other end as shown at 59 to a pin 60. As

illustrated this adjustable fastening consists of a pair of nuts 61, 62 engaging with a thread on pin 60 so that the point of conneetion between link 58 andpin 60 may be adjusted as desired. Pin 60 is zit-tabbed through a universal connection 63 to a curved ver tS l (see Figs. 1 and 2) pivoted at the end of depending portion ll of brz-u-ket an, Pivoted to the lower end of lever G l is a pawl 67 normally held in engagement with the forward edge of a hole in the washerstrip by means of a spring ('36. it will thus e seen that rotation of the eccentric 18 wi ive an oscillating motion to bell-crank lever whichtransinits this oscillating inoti.

so that pawl is given a backward and forward fee movement. It will be noted that the end of this pawl suitably shaped to f. the washenst-rip forward while moving in one direction and to slide over it while moving in the other direction.

it may noted here that the mzuhinc is enabled to handle strips of variously sized washers by means of the adjustment pro vid d by nuts 61 and 62. By adjusting these nuts, the position of lever Gel and consequently of pawl 67 may be adjusted. /Vhen handling small fasteners, the distance between two holes in the washer strip will frequently be less than the length of movement of the pawl. To overcome this, the pawl may be so adjusted that it rides up over the upper surface of guide 49 during the last part of its rearwardand the first part of its forward movement. During this part of its movement the pawl will be idle, but on passing off the guide it will enter a hole and feed the strip forward. Since the total movement of the pawl is constant, and the idle portion can bevaried or eliminated altogether, it follows that the effective movement may be varied to suit the different sizes of fasteners.

As all the moving parts of the machine are driven from a' single rotating part, namely the eccentric 18, the timed relations of the various movements are necessarily unvarying, except, of course, in so far as they are purposely varied through adjustment by the operator before starting the machine.

It is believed that the mode of operation of the machine will be clear from the above description, however, for purposes of con- 2 venience it may be recapitulated as follows:

The forward movement of the feeding pawl occurs during the latter half of the downward movement and during the first half of the upward movement of the inserting tool 11, during which period the die plate 29 is depressed relatively to the tool 13 so as to enable the washer-strip to. clear the pilot portion 17. The raceway occupies the position shown by Fig. 2 during the first stages of upward movement of the tool 11 but is retracted to the position shown by Fig. 3 after the tool has risen far enough to occupy the leading eyelet in accordance with the usual practice. Aft-er the tool 11 has taken an eyelet as shown in Fig. 3 the previously punched work is placed upon the eyelet as also shown by Fig. 3,, the washerstrip having, by this time, been fed nearly if not quite to its most advanced position for the operation about to be performed. Then the hole in the leading washer portion of the strip is in registration wit-h the'pilot portion 17 the leading washer portion is registered by the abutments 33 and '34 and is supported by the two waste portions attached to its margin, the waste portion forming the leading end of the strip then resting on the plate.

29 between the abutments 33 and :34 as represented in Fig. 7. As the inserting tool 11 rises with the eyelet and the article'of work engaging the latter the die plate 29 also rises and shears the registered washer portion from both waste portions adjacent thereto. The. severed washer portion is then temporarily supported by friction due to the lateral pressure of the die plate against its edge although the upward movement of the washer portion is arrested by the tool 13 loo-- fore the die plate reaches its highest position So long as the severed washer remains in the hole 31 of the die plate it is malntained positively against lateral displace ment from concentric registration with the eyelet with which it is about to be assembled. During the latter stages. of upward movement of the tool 11 the eyelet is introduced through thehole in the Washer and is turned over and clenched against the latter as shown by Fig. 6. The return movement of the feeding pawl 65 begins about the moment when the parts are in the positions shown by Fig. 3 so that it will be in position to start its next forward movement when the die plate 29 hasdescended far enough to enable the leading end of the. strip to clear the pilot portion 17.

It will be noted that as shown in Fig. 8 the washer portions are initially connected by short straight webs'or waste portions 70, but as the. washer portions are registered successively with the punch and die couple the surplus metal or waste portions are trimmed off so that a truly circular washer results. While these portions are spoken of here and in the claims as waste portions, it is to be understood that they are waste only in the sense that they form no part of the com pleted' fastener. i

It may be noted also that, in the embodiment illustrated, the strip feeding and washer shearing means are supported on a detachable bracket, which may be fastened as a unit to and bodily removed from the frame of the machine.

'Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. The combinationwith fastener-setting mechanism including a fixed clenching tool, of means arranged to feed a washer-strip having a series of washer portions so as to place a washer portion between the clenching tool and the field to be occupied by an article .of work, and means constructed and arranged to. trim said washer portion at diametrically opposite points and sever it from the strip.

2.The combination with fastener-setting mechanism including a fixed clenching tool, of means arranged to feed a washersstrip into registration therewith, a severing die formed and arranged to surround said tool,

and a punch arranged to cooperate with said die to severe portion of the strip from the latter in registration with the clenching tool to provide a washer.

3. Aymachine for setting fasteners having, in combination, a fastener setting die, and

"means having cutting portions on opposite ery ofw-hieh form one of the membersof ITO ' 8. A machine for setting fasteners having,

a shear, and means movable relatively to the fastener setting die to form theother member of the shear. I

5. A m'achine'for setting fasteners having,

in combination, a fastener setting'die, means for feeding a washer strip to the die, and means surrounding the die and reciprocating with respect thereto for severing the end washer from the strip.

6. A machine for setting fasteners having, in combination, a fastener setting die the periphery of which forms one of the members of a shear, and a co-operating .shear member surrounding the fastener setting die and 'reciprocable with respect thereto, said last named member being provided with a slot in order that the end of a washer strip may. pass therethrough so that the. end washer may be severed by the shear and the fastener clenched against'the washer.

TQA machine for setting fasteners, com

prising a fixed tool having a fastener-clench ing portion and a punching edge, movable means arranged to cooperate with said edge so as to form a washer from a blank, and means arranged to cooperate with said tool to insert a fastener element through the wasner and clench it against the latter.

in combination, a fastener setting die, means for feeding a washer strip to the die, and means surrounding the die and reciprocating with respect thereto for severing the end washer from the strip, and guiding it to the setting point.

9. A machine for setting fasteners having, in combinatioma pair ofco-operating dies, means for reciprocating one of the dies,

7 means for feeding fasteners to one of the dies, means for feeding the end of a washer strip to the other die, a member co-opcrating with thelast named die and forming therewith a cutting tool, mechanism to reciprocate said member to sever the end portion from the strip, a single drive shaftfor the machine, and connections from the drive shaftto the fastener setting i'neans, to the die reciprocating means, to the washer setting means, and to the cutting member,

' to operate the same in timed relation to. feed a fastener to one die and a washer portion scribed, means for severing a partly'formed vwasher-portion from a washer-strip having to the other, to cut the washer portion from the strip, and to clench the fastener against the washer.

10.- A machine for setting fasteners ha r ing, in combination, a pair of co-operating 'fastener setting dies, means for feeding fasteners to one of the dies, means for. reciprocating one of the dies, the periphery of one of the dies forming one of the members of a shear, a co-operating shear member surrounding said periphery, means for reciproeating said surrounding shear member with respect to the die which it surrounds, and

means for feeding the end of a washer strip,

to the shear member whereby the end washer portion may be'cut from the strip by the shears and the fastener clenched against the washer by the dies. 7

11. A fastener-setting machine comprising mechanism for setting a fastener, an eccentric, mechanism operable by said eccentric to cuta washer from a washer-strip in position to receive said fastener during its setting operation, and mechanism operable by said eccentric to feed said washer-strip step by step so as to present successive washer portions thereof to said cutting mechanism as aforesaid. V

12. A machine for setting fasteners, com prising a punch-and-die cou ie for forming a washer, anda fastener-c enching couple of which one member is fixed and is a co1nponent of the first said couple.

13. A fastener-setting machine comprising mechanism including a crank and connecting rod for operating upon a fastener, and mechanism including said crank and con necting rod for positioning the fastener, said mechanisms being so organized that one of them is operated by longitudinal motion of said connecting rodand the other by lateral motion thereof. I l

14. A fastener-setting machine comprising mechanism including a crank and connect-- ing rod for feeding a washer-strip step by step, and mechanism including said crank and connecting rod for severing a portion of such strip to form an individual Washer, said mechanisms being organized so that one of them is operated by longitudinal motion of said connecting rod and the other by lateral motion thereof.

washer-strip having a series of such portions,

means for feeding the strip so as .to place said portions successively in registration w1th the severing means, and means arranged .to engage a previously formed edge of the leading-washer-port1on of the strlp so as to arrest the feeding of that portion when it is 111 registration wlth the severing means. 16. In a machine of the character, de=

a series of such portions, means arranged to engage a previously formed edge of the leading washenportion other than the leading edge of the strip so as to register saidfpor- .lTlOl] relatively to the severing means, and

means arranged to support a portion of the strip in advance of the registered washerportion. 7 7 V r I 17. A machine of the character described comprising fastener-inserting mechanism, means arranged to feed a washer strip-into the path of insert-ionof a fastener supported by said mechanism, an abutment arranged to engage the leading end of said strip to register the leading washer portion thereof relatively to said path, and means arranged to sever the leading washer portion so registered.

18. A machine for setting fasteners having a bracket mounted thereon, a magazine for holding a washer strip supported on the bracket, and means also supported on the bracket for feeding the end of the strip to the fastener setting mechanism.

19. A machine for setting fasteners having a bracket mounted thereon, a magazine for holding a washer strip supported on the bracket, means also supported on the bracket for feeding the end of the strip to the fastener setting mechanism, and means for severing the end washer portion from the strip.

20. A machine for setting fasteners having a bracket mounted thereon, a magazine for holding a washer strip supported on the bracket, means also supported on the bracket for feeding the end of the strip to the fastener setting mechanism, means for severing the end washer portion from the strip, and means for clenching the fastener against the washer.

21. A machine for setting fasteners having a bracket mounted thereon, a magazine for holding a washer strip supported by the bracket, step-by-step operated means also supported by the bracket for feeding the end of the strip to the fastening setting mechanism, means for severing a washer portion from the strip, and means for clenching the fastener against the washer.

22. A fastener-inserting machine comprising a crank and connecting-rod, means operable by said connecting-rod to operate repeatedly upon a fastener-strip, and means operable by said connecting-rod to feed said fastener-strip intermittently.

23. A machine comprising a crank and connecting-rod, means operable by said connecting-rod to feed a strip step by step, and other means operable by said connecting-rod to operate upon the strip between feeding steps.

24. A fastener-setting machine comprising a punch and a movable die arranged to shear a washer portion from a strip, said punch having a fastener-clenching surface, and means arranged to cooperate with said surface to set a fastener in the washer.

25. A fastener-setting machine compris ing a fixed punch having a fastener-clenching surface, a movable die arranged to cooperate with said punch, and a movable fastener-setting tool arranged to cooperate with said clenching surface.

26. A fastener-setting machine comprising a punch and a die arranged permanently in telescopic relation, said die having a passageway extending transversely to receive a washer element, and means, arranged to set a fastener in said'washer element while the latteris in said die. v

27'. A fastener-setting machine comprising. a washer-forming couple and a grometclenching couple of which one member is a component of each of said couples and of which two members are arranged to remain in telescopic relation.

'28. A fastener-insertingmachine comprising a fixed tool having a fastener-clenching surface and a cutting edge, means arranged to cooperate with said tool to cut a washer element, and means arranged to cooperate With said tool to insert a fastener through such washer elementand clench the fastener so inserted. u

29. In a fastener-inserting machine, the combination with fastener-inserting mechanism, of a fixed punch and a movable die arranged to sever a washer from a strip in the path of a fastener about to be inserted by said mechanism. I

30. In a fastener-inserting machine, the combination with a movable fastener-inserting tool, of a washer-serving die arranged to move ahead of said tool in the direction of inserting movement, a punch arranged to cooperate with said die to sever a Washer from a strip, and mechanism for operating said tool and said die.

81. A fastener-inserting machine comprising, in combination, a punch-and-die couple and a fastener-inserting couple arranged in coaxial relation, the die member of the first said couple being open at one side between the members of said fastener-inserting couple to receive a washer strip, means at the opposite side of said die member to register the washer strip relatively to said fasten-evinserting couple by engagement with its lead.- ing edge, means arranged to feed the Washer strip to and against said registering means, and mechanism for operating said punchand-die couple to sever a washer from the strip.

32. A fastener-inserting machine comprising, in combination, cooperative fastener inserting tools, means arranged to feed a washer strip endwise between said tools, an abutment arranged to engage the leading edge of the strip to register the end portion relatively to said tools, and means arranged to produce an individual washer by severing the end portion of said strip as registered by said abutment.

38. A fastener-inserting machine comprising, in combination, a punch and die arranged to sever the end portion of a strip to produce a Washer, means arranged to insert a fastener through the severed washer in line with said punch and die, said die having an opening in one side to receive the washer strip, means arranged to feed the strip endwise through said opening, and

an abutment at the opposite side of said die to register relatively to said fastener-inserting means the strip by engaging its leading edge. j

34. In a fastener-inserting machine, the combination with fastener-inserting mechanism, of means arranged to feed a strip of partially formed Washers to register the leading Washer portion of the strip relatively to said fastener-inserting mechanism,

and means arranged to sever the leading poirelatively to said punch and die, means ar ranged to feed said strip to place the leading end thereof against said abutment, and mechanism arranged to apply the Washers so registered by inserting fasteners through them in register With said punch and die.

36. The method of assembling afastener and a Washer which consists in'feeding, a strip having the perlpheries 10f a series Washer portions formed on its longitudinal edges and having a fastener-receiving hole in each of said portions, registering the leading Washer portion in a predetermined fastenen receiving position by engaging the previously formed periphery thereof, severing the leading Washer portion fromsaid strip While it is registered as aforesaid, and inserting a fastener throug'hthe hole in the severed Washer portion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification. e

ALBERT E. HUDSON.

QERTEFEQATE GE CQRREfiTEON.

Eatem No. 1,615,276. Granted Jammy 25, 1927., to

ALBERT E, EUDSQNS Ht is hereby certified that ermr appears in the minted spezrificaiima 0f the abnve numbered pstenfrequiring carremien as folimvs: Page 5', line 9L claim 3 3, fax the sompmmdwozd "washer-serving" rem "washer-severing"; page 6, 25m 3%., siaim 36, after Hie ward "series" insert the ward "of"; and that thg said Leiers 521mm should be read wiih these carrectinns therein that the same ma csniarm t0 the record of the sass in the Patent @ffiee Signed and sealed this 39th day ef August, A. D. 1927.

M. J, Meme, Seal. Aeting Commissioner of Patenta. 

